Personal Background:Since childhood, Viktoria heard from many friends that she was a good and trustworthy listener. This friendly feedback prompted her to try her skills on Vancouver Crisis & Suicide Line where she volunteered for a year. This was a life-changing experience for her that confirmed that her calling for a profession of a psychotherapist is the right one.It was a natural decision for Viktoria to dedicate her life to helping other people discover their hidden strengths and to supporting them through life challenges. To assist people on this journey, Viktoria creates an atmosphere of trust and safety through kindness, empathy and genuine curiosity. She has a calming and warm presence that lets people feel at ease, which is essential for self-exploration.Viktoria is a bilingual counsellor. She speaks both English and Russian fluently, and offers psychotherapy in both languages. Spending first 16 years of her life in Russia allowed Viktoria to gain a through understanding of the culture and traditions of the country, and the experience of immigration helped to understand the challenges that come with adjustment to a new way of life. To share her knowledge and give back to the community, Viktoria volunteered as a Settlement Worker for over a year at the Cross Cultural Learners Centre in Ontario.Education & Certification:Viktoria completed a Bachelor degree in Behavioural Neuroscience (Psychology) at UBC and a Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology at the University of Western Ontario.Following her training, she registered as a Certified Canadian Counsellor with the Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association. This means that she meets the professional criteria for counselling training recognized across Canada.Relevant Experience:Viktoria’s recent employment experiences involved working as Career Counsellor at a local employment centre and as a University Counsellor. As Career Strategist at Trainning Innovations she met people from all walks of life who were in search of a job or a new career. She helped clients to discover their strengths and assets, and to identify the best strategies in securing the job of their dreams. To those seeking a change, she assisted in making a career transition into their new roles and with developing their business strategies for self-employment.In September 2011, Viktoria had an amazing opportunity to join a team of Counsellors at the University Of the Fraser Valley(Abbotsford). She enjoyed the scenic commute from Burnaby, for her work was very fulfilling and inspirational. Every day she saw students of different ages and backgrounds that would bring their life challenges to their sessions. Together, they would discover strategies and tools for working through depression, anxiety, grief, suicidal ideations, self-harm, eating disorders, trauma, obsessive thinking and other issues.Opening a private practice with her colleague and friend, Katya, was a natural transition from her last employment. Together they are developing and leading monthly workshops that aim to facilitate self-discovery of your potential and authentic-self. Please join them for the next Personal Awareness Growth & Exploration workshopAdditional Certifications & Memberships: